GLP-1 Agonist Therapy for Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction and Obesity

Interest in glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists for the treatment of obesity is growing rapidly, and trials are showing cardiovascular benefit. Now, researchers report findings of an industry-sponsored, international, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (STEP-HFpEF; NCT04788511) that tested whether 2.4 mg of once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide can improve symptoms and physical function among people with heart failure with preserved systolic function (HFpEF) and obesity. The primary endpoints were change in the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire Clinical Summary Score (KCCQ-CSS) and percentage change in body weight, from baseline to week 52.

Among the 529 participants, the median age was 69 years, 56% were women, an…